A pie and mash store promising to convey a slice of the east finish to city is ready to open in a former tattoo studio.
Ryan Vickers and Billy Haynes are making ready for the grand opening of Billy’s Pie and Mash in Ashford’s North Avenue.
Ryan Vickers and Billy Haynes are opening Billy’s Pie and Mash in North Avenue
They’ve spent two months kitting out the previous Wyldfire tattoo studio into a standard east finish store, with loads of banter, working males’s meals – and no lumpy mash in sight.
Having labored in building for numerous years, the buddies say they’ve sampled all of the pie and mash choices throughout the south east.
Now, they’re now hoping to place their very own stamp on their favorite dish.
Mr Vickers, 50, defined: “We’re getting too outdated to be going up and down scaffolding.
“We batted round a number of concepts of doing one thing collectively as a result of we would like an easier lifestyle.
“About 30 years in the past I wished to open up a pie and mash store in Lakeside buying centre however sadly it by no means got here to fruition and my profession took a unique flip.
“So we thought, why don’t we do that now?
Ryan Vickers and Billy Haynes hope to have the store open with the week
“I used to work within the east finish and Billy was introduced up within the east finish so we’re used to pie and mash delicacies, working man’s meals, so we thought we’d attempt it out right here.
“Lots of people have moved out of London so there are extra of those retailers shifting out to the suburbs, however there is not one in Ashford.
“We wished to place our personal spin on it so hopefully we are able to convey a bit of little bit of the east finish, and one thing completely different to Ashford.”
The chums started in search of an area for the store earlier than Christmas and felt the unit in Ashford, which additionally used hairdressers Grasp Cutters, was the right match.
In addition to being named after Mr Haynes, the identify Billy’s can also be a nod to Mr Vickers’ father who handed away final 12 months.
Whereas an actual opening date is but to be confirmed, the pair say it is going to be throughout the subsequent week.
Billy’s Pie and Mash is ready to open in North Avenue
Mr Vickers, who lives in Headcorn together with his spouse Magda, mentioned: “We have now completed trial runs and we all know what we’re consuming as a result of we have eaten in each pie and mash store throughout.
“We have now gravy and liquor and we may have vegetarian choices too.
“Folks gained’t stroll away from right here hungry and folks will do not forget that.
“We wish to have Camaraderie and banter with individuals who are available.
The unit was additionally a former hairdressers. Image: Google
“If it really works out, we’ll have a look at opening one or two others within the space.”
As soon as totally operational, the store might create as much as 5 jobs.
Regardless of the rising value of residing, the pair really feel now could be the proper time to convey their imaginative and prescient ahead.
Their transfer comes because the dish seems to be rising in recognition in Kent, with Flo’s pie and mash opening in Folkestone.
Mr Vickers continued: “You may’t assure something, even with a superb financial system however this can be a calculated danger and we predict we have now obtained what we have to preserve the place open.
“I don suppose there’s ever a superb or a foul time, I believe when you have obtained the proper enterprise mannequin and the margins works, then companies can nonetheless succeed.
